


The Long Way Home

by godcomplexfics (godtiercomplex)



Series: dysfunctional family funtimes [2]
Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Adoption, Attempted Kidnapping, Bad Parenting, Child Neglect, Dysfunctional Relationships, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, One-Sided Relationship, Stalking, Unhealthy Relationships, this is not how adoption works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 07:54:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9712274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/godtiercomplex/pseuds/godcomplexfics
Summary: His mother’s words lead him onwards, and Haise discovers what it truly means to have a family all his own.Or; In which Haise should really not have taken Arima as the best example of what parenting means, and ends up adopting several children and taming his own stalker despite himself.(Reposted due to Ao3 mishaps)





	1. Saiko

**Author's Note:**

> Some stuff happened and I lost access to editing the former version of this fanfic. There have been no major changes tho!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One night long ago, Saiko met him.

Before Haise’s birth mother agreed to declare herself unfit to raise him, and thus give up all rights to parenting him, she made him take a walk with her. He did not look back at Arima as he held the manilla folder Akira had pressed into his hands before he had left that morning tight to his body. His mother was so tiny, and yet nothing about her stirred anything in Haise’s heart. She was a stranger to him, who held such a tight control over his future that he was scared of her.

Kaneki Ken was also a stranger to him. The name she called him was so far removed from the identity he held close to his heart that he could not look at her with anything but confusion. The small stream in the park reflected them as they stepped out that late summer day, and the wind made it hard to hear her.

He could see from the thinness of her shoulders that her life had not been easy, regardless of if he or Arima had been in it. He could not imagine giving up so much of himself that he would be lost so fully and end up completely destroyed by it. He did not want to imagine that.

“Literature? What will you do with a degree in that?” Sasaki Tamako asked, peering up at him, and offering him a smile.

“I want to write.”

She nodded, and he almost thought she understood, “You always did like to read, Ken.”

“My name is Haise.” He insisted, and then took a seat on a bench. He had not wanted to meet this woman who knew a self that he had never known. But he was glad that looking at her made nothing happen. Kaneki Ken or what was left of him existed only in the nightmares he had stopped getting as much as he had aged. Tamako sat next to him, and stared out into the water, hands folded on top of her lap.

“I am glad you found your way to him. I know you don’t remember . . . but I showed you where he lived once or twice. He was never home the few times we stopped by, but it was okay in the end. He never really needed me.”

Haise couldn’t answer her, almost choked up by a sudden rush of anger at her. What child did not need their parents? What made her even think that any of her actions had been acceptable?

“Haise, you know . . . once you get yourself involved in a situation, you have to be careful not to cause more damage than what was already there. You have to fix what was broken but the problem with that . . . I let my children suffer because of me.”

“I haven’t been suffering. I’ve been happy up until now.”

The implication did not miss her, and she sighed, “I just want you both to be happy, Ken. I wanted Kishou to be happy, so I left him alone. I’m glad that my boys found each other.”

He wasn’t hers, and never had been. The son that she had loved was dead, no matter how she looked into his face and saw otherwise. Arima had never even mentioned her before. There were photos all over their apartment of him and his pets and even Akira. Arima’s life seemed to have only truly started when he had left for University, and now Haise felt like his life was restarting anew. He would no longer have to fear that someday someone would come and try and claim him and take him away from his family.

“We’re happy,” he said, and then opened the folder, “My mom couldn’t be here but she just needs you to fill this out.”

It was a cruel slip and he hadn’t meant it to come out, but Tamako took the folder, and the pen and nodded. “She’s been a nice woman to you then, Mado-san?”  

There was so much that he could say about Akira, but he choose to nod his head, “She’s been there for me since the beginning. She’s always supported me.”

Arima might have been the one to dry his tears, but Akira had read him stories and tucked him in at night when Arima was off on a case. She was the anchor that helped keep them both grounded.

Tamako fell silent, and wrote for what seemed like forever. Before she closed the folder, she pressed an envelope inside with Arima’s name on it.

“What did you say?” He took the folder back, and watched her as she zipped back up her purse, and dusted off her dress as she stood up and looked down at him.

“I explained the situation. My older son took command of my younger one because I was unable to care for him. I have come to realize that I cannot hold on the Ken anymore, and am giving up my rights to him.” Her voice was steady, and he realized after a moment that this was her goodbye. He almost felt like he should be on the brink of tears like she was, but she was just the stranger who had given birth to him on December 20th, and he was the boy who had been given life on April 2nd. “Haise . . . I hope that you don’t become like me. We have to take responsibility for what we save, but not if it means our own unhappiness. Be happy for as long as you are able. That is all I want from you, or from Kishou.”

She bowed, and walked away. He watched her for a moment, before making his way back to his real life.

 

He was able to enter a good university, and with the combined money that Akira and Arima offered, he knew he would have been able to go to a great one, but good was enough. He studied literature, worldwide stories, worldwide locations, change and growth. He kept on rescuing animals, taking care of them until they could take care of themselves. He lived, and he worked, and he studied.

His favorite place to study was a quaint cafe by the name of Anteikou. It was ran by an elderly man, and people he had ‘saved’ from various crimes. He had discovered it by chance when it started pouring on his way to class. He’d ducked inside and ran into the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life.

Her nametag read Touka, and she went to the high school that he would have went to if he had had a normal life. She called him weird after his third visit when she spotted the horror novel in his hands, and they fell into a light exchange of ideas. She was two years younger than him, and had most likely had a rough time of it if her working at the cafe was any indication. She had a younger brother who was an infrequent guest, and who always complained loudly whenever he visited.

He loved the vibe of Anteikou, and soon it became a place that he would stop in at on his way home from class. Arima liked the bagels that they made, and Akira liked their iced mochas. He counted the small things for his happiness, and was content.

 

He was coming back late one day from Anteikou when he ran into a small child with her arms full of bags. Or rather, she ran into him, and all her careful purchases went spilling out on the street. He helped her up, and brought her new eggs to replace the cracked ones. And then he ended up buying her food from a stand because she looked faint. Her cheeks were round, but her eyes were dull. His heart went out to her.

She told him that her name was Saiko and that she had several young siblings at home. Her mom was always working, and there was no father in the picture. He told her that his name was Haise, and that his dad was always working, but he still made him dinner each night in case he’d drop by.

“There’s always extras, because I make some for my mom too but she doesn’t come over too often during this season. You can come to dinner sometime, I’ll make your favorites.”

Saiko considered his offer, and then considered her bags. “I have to go home.”

“Then another time. Tell me what you like, and I’ll make them.”

It wasn’t until she had told him, and he had written a note in his phone, that he realized how odd it must seem. But then he remembered the dull look in her eyes, and couldn’t bring himself to care.

 

The first night that Saiko ate the dinner that he made for her, she ate it carefully and was hesitant to ask for more. She accepted it when he offered it, but otherwise did not ask for more than what he gave her. She was nine-years-old and when he had been nine he knew that he hadn’t treated food as if it was something he wanted, and yet thought would destroy him. His worst fears had been nightmares of the other him, and nightmares of Arima never coming back.

Now, Arima texted him as often as he could with updates so that he would not worry. And the other him, Kaneki Ken, had faded away into a deep part of his heart.

Saiko watched the evening dramas until she fell asleep, and all his attempts to wake her failed, so he let her be. It was noon the next day by the time she stirred off the couch as he made lunch, so he started making extra for her.

“I tried to wake you. Do you need me to call your mom and apologize?”

“She won’t care.” Saiko was staring at his laptop in fascination, sliding her fingers around the keyboard as he considered her.

“The password is 2002. Why do you think she won’t care?”

“Because she never does,” Saiko grumbled and then gasped as his laptop opened up for her. Before he knew it, curses filled the air and she was smiling like he had never seen her before. When he sat her lunch next to her, he could see white teenagers shouting in English and hammering buttons as they played video games.

“You can understand that?”

“A little,” She didn’t take her eyes off the screen as she ate with one hand. “It’s not as hard as French.”

“You can understand French?”

“A little,” she said, like it was no big deal.

 

Saiko had been over at his apartment almost every other day for almost a full month. She waited at Anteikou for when he got out of class, and then walked home with him. It wasn’t too shocking that one day she would meet Akira or Arima. He supposed he should be glad she met Akira first.

“. . . okay. Please tell me you haven’t picked up Arima’s bad habit. Did you become a tutor?” Akira had been sitting on the couch, petting his longest staying residential cat, Momo, but had let Momo go when she saw Saiko taking off her shoes behind him.

“Um . . . not exactly?” He wasn’t sure how to explain the current situation. Saiko needed someplace to go, and he had a lot of room at home, and a lot of bedrooms. She had brought over some of her clothes to get washed since her washing machine had broken at home, and then most of them had never found their way back to her house. She had taken over one of guest rooms, and Arima had not commented on the pink toothbrush in the guest bathroom, but then Arima probably didn’t know they had a guest bathroom. Arima also hadn’t been home in almost three weeks.

“Okay. Just please tell me you’re not doing anything illegal.”

“What? Mom, no. She’s just,” He looked back at Saiko who was leaning against the wall, and looked like she might at any moment run out. He felt like if she did, that would be the last he would ever see of her. “She’s like me. She just needs somewhere safe for a while.”

Akira looked at Saiko to, and maybe she noticed how threadbare her clothes were, because she softened, just a bit, so that she was no longer openly judging them.

“What’s your name?”

“Yonebayashi Saiko.”

“I’m Mado Akira. I guess you can consider me Haise’s mom. Where do you live?”  

Saiko shook her head, “I don’t . . .”

“It’s okay,” he said to Saiko, and then frowned at Akira, “She’s had a long day. I’m going to start dinner now, what would you like? I didn’t know you were going to be here today.”

“Arima is returning from his trip and sent me a text asking for a favor with some legal terms. He promised it wasn’t illegal, so we’ll see.”

“Oh,” and he wondered if Saiko would be ready to meet the man who owned the home she’d started sleeping over at without any real permission. He had felt justified with what he was doing before, all signs of what Saiko shared with him pointed to neglect, and he couldn’t just sit there and watch her die. Her eyes weren’t dull anymore, shining with something now that was like joy. “Alright. Well, Saiko, my dad is coming back home. Do you still want to stay?”

Saiko looked at Akira, “I want to stay.”

Akira sighed, “What is wrong with you two?”

 

Arima returned with newly published books and snacks from Kyoto. He didn’t explain why it had taken him three weeks, and Haise didn’t ask. Some things were better off unexplained, and unknown. Arima greeted everyone, and then introduced himself to Saiko before going to take a bath.

Saiko settled down on the couch, a notebook in hand, and headphones covering her ears as she listened to youtubers on his laptop. Akira helped him cook, or rather watched him cook.

“When did she start coming over here? She seems very at home, and Momo likes her.”

“Are you jealous about that?”

“It always takes me a few straight days of visiting before I can get Momo to let me pet her again, but Momo knows her.”

“I don’t,” it almost sounded incriminating even if he had done nothing wrong. All he had done was feed her, let her take baths, let her watch tv to a reasonable time, and let her sleepover. “I don’t know. Maybe a month now.”

“A month.”

“Akira--,” he didn’t like her judging tone, so turned down the heat, and turned up the soft music he had been playing as he cooked. “What do you want me to say? She keeps on coming and her mother hasn’t shown up and I didn’t even know what her last name was until an hour ago. Do you want me to just kick her out and not feed her when she looks like she hasn’t felt full in days?”

“I want you to talk to me. I want to know who you’ve let into your life, Haise. I don’t want you hurt and I don’t want you doing anything illegal.”

“I’m sure I’m not the one who’s doing illegal things here. She showed up one day and her eye was swollen shut, Akira. I can’t let her go back there, wherever there is.”

“So you think she’s being abused.”

“I know she’s being abused.”

“This is when you go to the police, Haise--.”

“So that someone who doesn’t know her can take charge of her and--.”

“You don’t know her, Haise--.”

“What are you two fighting about?” Arima came into the kitchen, and his towel was draped over his shoulders as he wiped off his glasses.

“About your son copying your bad habits, Arima.”

“My son?” Arima looked at him, and Haise sighed as Akira rubbed her forehead. “What did you do, Haise?”

“He’s letting a runaway sleep in your apartment.”

“She’s not a runaway. She checks in at home, she just doesn’t sleep there anymore.”

Arima spoke first, “She’s sleeping here? Which bedroom?”

“The one next to the guest bathroom.”  There were four bedrooms in the apartment, and three bathrooms. There had originally been five but one had been Arima’s office for too long to be anything else.

“Maybe I should look into getting a house soon.”

Akira knocked her knuckles on the countertop, “Okay, Arima, your son has invited a nine-year-old girl to live in your house. This can only end in trouble.”

“I fail to see the problem here,” Arima looked over at Saiko on the couch, and almost smiled, “She looks healthy and happy.”

“Right? She looks way better than she did before.”

“. . . I’m going to have to sort this all out, aren’t I?” Akira sounded defeated, and he squeezed her hand before turning down the music some.

“Dinner’s ready.”

 

He wasn’t sure what Akira did, and he didn’t want to know, but one day he and Saiko came home from school and the bedroom she’d claimed as hers was in the middle of being painted by Arima, and the closest was full of new clothes for her, and there was a new child-sized desk with a desktop computer on it. There were CDs on speaking English and French next to her bed, and Akira even had a folder with all her medical history and a copy of her birth records.

He’s nineteen, almost twenty, and suddenly he realized that he had taken responsibility for someone’s else’s life, and now he had to see her through the rest of her life so that she could be happy.

He took her to the zoo, and he brought her everything she wanted. She in turn, took some of her stuff back to her old house. She didn’t abandon the family that had given birth to her, as some ties weren’t so easily broken.


	2. Tooru

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bonds we form can often last a lifetime.

“Did she just call you ‘Maman’?” Touka asked as he flipped through the pages in her book. He had started tutoring her at Yoshimura’s suggestion, and there had been some improvement, but not the improvement Touka wanted to see. She was aiming for a full-ride to any school she could get into. Saiko was on her laptop beside them, sipping coffee and watching youtubers in Italian.

“She’s practicing her French,” he said in defense. But it was never Akira she called that, it was always him. Arima had shrugged, and said that he had started to call him ‘dad’ around his age. But ‘Maman’ was not ‘dad’. He didn’t want to replace her mother, no matter how terrible she had been.

“She speaks French?” Touka almost sounded jealous, which was cute in it’s own way, “She’s like nine.”

“I’m ten, Tou-chan.”

“Listen brat, that isn’t my name. Your Maman needs to teach you some god damn manners.”

“Can you not swear around her? I don’t want her to pick up bad habits.”

“Do you even listen to yourself sometimes, Sasaki? Oh whatever, just correct this.”

His cup was picked up by Nishiki and he spoke down to Touka as he refilled Haise’s cup. “Pointless to try and improve yourself at this point.”

“Please don’t start fighting around Saiko, or we’ll have to go.”

 

He liked his life, even if it hadn’t been what he’d been planning on it being. Winter was almost over, and February was around the corner. Saiko and he had settled into a routine that suited them. There had been room for her in his life, with Arima’s busy schedule and Akira’s as well, and even if there hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have been able to just ignore her. Then the new semester started in April and he found himself having to spend a lot more time at the library. Akira was kind enough to offer to babysit during those times.

He grew an awareness of the small boy slowly. One week the dark boy was on the fourth floor reading fairy tales. The next he was tucked in an alcove like so many of Haise’s classmates reading a sci-fi epic. He wouldn’t have noticed the boy, if he hadn’t noticed that more often than not, he was unable to tell if he was wearing new clothes or not. He was concerned for him.

He was trying to think of how to approach him, wondering why he felt the need when he bumped into someone as he turned the corner in the stands. He didn’t fall down but was pulled close for a moment before being set aside. The person he had bumped into dusted off his brand-name clothes and aimed a smile his way.

“Were you lost in thought? It’s easy to do that here.”

“Yeah, my apologizes. I hope I didn’t step on your foot too hard.”

“Nonsense, it’d be difficult for you to injure me. I barely felt a thing, Mister . . .?”

“Oh, I am Sasaki Haise.” He stepped back more, and could see that the small boy he’d been about to approach turning down another row of bookcases. He noted the location as the stranger spoke.

“I am Tsukiyama Shuu. What year are you, Sasaki-san?”

“I’m a junior, Tsukiyama-san.”

“You look awfully young to be a junior.”

“I’m 20.”

“Ah, you must just have a youthful face, such is our curse, non?”

“Ah, oui, I mean, yes.” He could feel himself flushing just a bit at slipping and using French. He really would need to stop letting Saiko practice on him.

“Vous parlez français?”

“Saiko does and has been trying to teach me a bit.”

“Saiko? She must be a pretty special lady in order to be trying to get you to speak the language of--.”

“She’s ten.”

“Your sister?”

“No, she’s my . . .” He didn’t have a good answer for what Saiko was to him. Thankfully, Tsukiyama’s phone went off. The other man glanced down at the screen and then sighed.

“It was interesting meeting you, Sasaki-san. I’m sure I’ll run into you again.”

Haise doubted that, since it was such a large campus and he had never run into him before now, but he nodded his head, “Yes, I’m sure. Have a nice rest of the day, Tsukiyama-san.”

He left first, and soon ran into the boy once more. The book he had in his hands was an old favorite of Haise’s. He approached him with enough noise that the boy shouldn’t startle. It worked, and when he said, “That’s one of my favorite authors,” the boy looked up at him and smiled.

“Takatsuki is really good at telling stories,” he said in his soft voice.

“That’s a pretty heavy book for someone your age to be reading.”

“I guess but . . . I like it.”

“What did you like about it?” He kept his voice low, and didn’t invade his space, but didn’t close himself off either. They talked about _The Black Goat’s Egg_ and they talked about other books that the author had penned. From there they talked about change, and fairy tales. They found a table when they got tired of standing, and Haise let the boy, Tooru, show him his favorite lines and quotes. The afternoon slipped away, and soon it was ten and Tooru was yawning but showed no sign of wanting to go home.

“I can walk you home,” Haise said, “It’s pretty late for you to go out by yourself.”

The look on Tooru’s face reminded him of Saiko’s long ago. But it was there, and gone, buried deep as he shook his head. “I’m okay. I don’t live far. I can get there by myself.”

“It’s late out, and it’s dangerous to be walking alone.”

“But you’re going to walk home alone.”

“I can protect myself,” Haise shrugged, conscious now of the knife that he had gotten for his tenth birthday and that he was rarely without. Akira had beaten into his head how it paid to be over prepared.  She had even gotten Saiko her own knife set when she turned ten. He knew that Saiko kept it in her laptop bag when she did bother to go outside but, other families weren’t like his. He was sure that Tooru did not have a knife, and had not endured training to learn how to protect himself.

Tooru tried to come up with more excuses for Haise to leave first, or for himself to leave without Haise coming with him, and seeing his panic, Haise let it go for the day. He left first, and went home to his family, and watched Saiko played games and thought about how lucky he was.

He didn’t meet Tooru everyday, but he met him often enough over the following weeks, and talked with him often enough that his suspicions were confirmed and one day he could not just leave him alone in the library while he went home to his family.

It came to the point in their conversation when Haise had to be mean, even if it meant that he would not get to have anymore discussions with him about the books they liked. But Haise was unable to abandon Tooru for another night and embarrassing him was something they would both have to endure. Abandonment was what it felt like each time he walked away from the table that had become theirs, when he looked back and saw the lonely look on Tooru’s face.

“I saw you two days ago in these same clothes, Tooru. When’s the last time you went home?”

“You’ve noticed?”

“Tooru, soon enough I won’t be the only one who’s noticed. What’s happened at your house?”

“That’s not,” Tooru shook his head, “That’s not my house.”

Further attempts to get him to say more were met with silence, until a guard came around and told them that the library was closing in ten minutes.

“You can come to my house and have dinner, Tooru. I have a little girl at home who might be willing to share my time for the night.” He bribed him, he was not ashamed too terribly to admit, and the possibly homeless boy came home with him. He almost felt bad, wanted to feel bad, but he felt that what he was doing was right.

 

“Maman!” Haise was met at the door with a flying tackle and almost fell back, but balanced himself and Saiko as he looked back at the small boy he’d brought home.

“Sorry, Saiko’s been missing me, I think.” He patted her back and she got off of him so he could take off his shoes. Tooru followed his lead, and Saiko looked at him.

“Maman, who is this?”

“This is my new friend, Tooru. He’s going to eat dinner with us tonight.”

“Is that Haise? If so I’m going to head on . . .”

Haise hadn’t so much forgotten about Akira, but in his determination, forgotten about her reaction. He stood up and held up two hands before she could speak.

“Why don’t you stay for dinner, mom?”

The blonde folded her arms on top of each other and gave a long-suffering sigh. “Your habit is now officially twice more worse than Arima’s.”

“What? I just wanted to give him a nice dinner--.”

Akira just gave him a look, and he fell silent with a sigh. He looked down at his little girl, and shrugged, “I think Grandma’s mad. What do you want to eat for dinner?”

“I am not a grandmother.”

“Oh! Crepes.” Saiko said, and he nodded.

He looked back at Tooru who was standing in the doorway, his shirt bunched up in his fist and looking like at any moment he was going to run for it.

“Do you like crepes, Tooru? Saiko like hers with nutella. Akira likes her with fruit. Would you like yours with nutella or bananas or something?”

“Um. . .” Tooru cleared his throat, “What’s a crepe?”

“They are the most wonderful thing in the world,” Saiko explained. Haise explained further, and soon Tooru was tentatively naming what he liked and didn’t like.

 

Saiko had long since taken her bath, and since it was already midnight once they had finished eating, he invited Tooru to spend the night. He offered to help him wash up, but the boy looked terrified, so he let him bathe alone.

Akira was waiting for him in the living room, hands firmly on her knee, and a frown on her face that promised trouble.

“You can’t keep bringing home stray children, Haise. How do you expect to be able to support them?”

“I’ve only brought home Saiko, Akira. Tooru’s just spending the night, I’ll take him back home in the morning.”

“What will you do if he really doesn’t have a home to go back to?”

Haise fell silent, and Akira sighed.

“You can’t save all the lost children in the world, Haise. You’ll burn yourself out trying to do so. Saiko already needs so much attention, how do you think she’ll feel if you start bringing home more children when you’ve so busy lately?”

“She knows I love her, and I spend as much time with her as I can, mom. If she would go back to school, she wouldn’t be alone so often.”

“I’m done with my bath,” Tooru said quietly, and Haise wondered how long he had been standing there in one of Akira’s old workout shirts and a pair of Saiko’s pink sleeping pants.

“You can sleep out here on the couch or in one of the bedroom’s, Tooru.”

“Tooru-san,” Akira said, “You can sleep in my room.”

“Oh, I don’t want to take your room, ma’am.”

“It’s not like it’s my apartment. I should be getting home anyway. Haise, tell Arima to text me, and all three of us are going to have a nice, long talk.”

Haise sighed, “Yes, mom.”

“It was nice to meet you, Tooru-san. I’m sure I’ll see you again.” Akira rubbed the sleeping Momo on the back of her head, and then put on her shoes, and left for the night.

Haise remained on the couch as Tooru stood behind him.

“She doesn’t live here but she’s your mom?”

“This is my dad’s apartment. And well,” he stood up now, and locked up the house, “It’s more like she adopted me and my dad adopted me but they’re not together.”  

“Is Saiko-san your sister?”

“She’s more like . . .” He shook his head, “Anyway, let’s get Akira’s room made up for you. I bet you’re tired.” He knew that he was tired. Tooru hesitated, but soon enough was settled down for the night.

 

Akira was right, which wasn’t surprising. There was no real home for Tooru to go back to, he found out on the second night he slept over. Tooru spent his days at the university’s library, didn’t go to class, and didn’t go back to the Orphanage that he had been left at. He didn’t explain why, or how, but life happened sometimes. Haise knew well that not all parents were meant to be parents.

He also knew that no matter how much paint covered a wall, and how much children’s art hung on walls, did not make a place a home. Tooru had not been lying when he said he had no house to go back to. Yet, that didn’t mean that the place he’d come from agreed with that. Akira summoned him to an broken down orphanage, and had him meet with the director. The man was old, and questionably senile, and Tooru could not come back to this place. Akira’s information digging had brought attention to where Tooru had unofficially living, and for that, Haise found himself becoming upset with the woman he loved above all else for the first time since she’d told him that he would need to contact his birth parents.

“We can’t send him back here.” Haise said as they left the building and the facade it tried so hard to maintain but failed in Tooru’s case. “He wasn’t happy here.” Akira started the car to take him back home, and he couldn’t help but be thankful as the orphanage disappeared from his sight. If this was how he felt, he couldn’t even imagine what Tooru had felt.

“He’s a runaway, Haise. He’s a ward of the state, they have every right to arrest you, all of us actually, for keeping him from them. They can accuse us of kidnapping him and I can’t save you from that, Haise. You’ll lose Saiko if you keep this up.”

“They call him ‘Chise’, Akira. You want me to let him go back to a place like that?”  

“I don’t want to let you do anything. I’m sorry that trying to find out who you’ve let into your world has led to this, but I don’t regret taking steps to protect this family. You are my first priority, Haise. I’m not going to let you get hurt.” Akira’s eyes were steady on the road, but her hands were tight on the steering wheel.

“I can’t let him go back there. He only just stopped having nightmares.”

“He’s been here for two weeks already, Haise. What are you doing to do? Adopt him? Can you truly meet all his needs? What about Saiko?”

“Thanks to Tooru, Saiko’s been going back to school. They’re a good influence on each other. And haven’t I been doing just that all this time? He’s happy, much happier and healthier than he was two weeks ago. And it helps Saiko to have the company.” Haise sighed, “Let’s ask Tooru what he wants to do.”

 

 “I don’t want to go back to the Orphanage.” Tooru told Haise and Akira seriously when they got back home. He had been cutting apples for himself and Saiko; little bunnies that were lined up neatly on the plate. The child-safe dishware was finally getting use, since Saiko refused to use any of it.

Akira sighed, and rubbed her forehead, “They’re going to give us hell on this.”

“Then let’s give them a fight. You can stay here, Tooru.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In another life, Touka and Haise would be dating.
> 
> Also, Tooru is still a trans boy in here.


	3. Shuu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haise really should pay more attention to who he agrees to go on dates with. Like, he should only go on father-child dates with his kids from now on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POV shifts between Haise and Shuu.

“Why is it everytime I see you lately, you are surrounded by children, Sasaki? Should I be calling the police?” Touka set down the tray, and Tooru and Saiko looked up at her.

“Can you please not make those sort of jokes in front of the children?” Haise begged her as he handed Saiko her coffee and Tooru his hot chocolate.

“Please don’t call the police on Sasaki!” Tooru said as he watched Touka warily. Saiko opened five sugars and poured them into her coffee before stirring it.

“I already put sugar in there, brat.”

“You never put enough, Tou-chan.” Saiko opened up a sixth packet and poured it inside the coffee.

“Because it’s coffee, it’s not supposed to be sweet.”

Haise sighed, “How did the exam scores look, Touka?”

She glared at him, and then left the table.

“Well,” Haise sighed, “What are you two planning on doing for the rest of the day?”

“Aren’t we going home with you, Sasaki?” Tooru set down his mug.

Haise shrugged, “I’ll be home later tonight, but Arima is home now and you’re having pizza for dinner. I’m going on a date.”

There was a crash behind him, and he saw Touka apologizing to one of the regulars who laughed, and said something like it’d been a while.

“A date?” Saiko added more sugar to her coffee, “What’s her name?”

“Well, his name is Tsukiyama.” His kids looked at him, and then at each other, and then back at him.

“Wait,” Saiko said, “Tsukiyama Shuu?”

“Um, yeah? How did you know that--.”

Saiko pulled out her new phone that Arima had brought her last week and typed something into the search box. He didn’t understand why Arima felt the need to keep buying her more and more expensive things. But, Arima treated her and Tooru equally, so Haise supposed he couldn’t complain much about it. And it was handy for them to have phones in case of emergencies.

“This is Tsukiyama Shuu. He’s an up-and-coming model!” And sure enough, there was the man who had asked him out on a date half-naked. He didn’t appreciate that mental image. Or rather he didn’t appreciate his ten-year-old having access to such things.

“Okay, seriously, you need to stop hacking the parental controls.”

“Your passwords are too easy, Maman.”

“Oh, he’s . . . really pretty? I guess?” Tooru said when Saiko showed him the photo.

“There had to have been a better photo than that one, Saiko.”

Touka plucked Saiko’s phone out of her hands and stared at the photo, “This douche? He comes here all the time, why are you going on a date with an asshole like him?”

“He asked and I didn’t have a reason to say ‘no’ so,” he waved a hand, “It’s not like you really have a right to judge who I go on dates with, Touka.”

“I have a right to my opinion, and dude is a douche. All he ever orders are fancy drinks and he insists on doing it in Italian.”

“Tsukiyama Shuu knows four romance languages and English,” Saiko read off from Tooru’s phone. He wasn’t even sure when she got his phone. “He’s 23. Isn’t that a bit old for you, Sasaki?”

“How old do you think I am?”

“There’s nothing wrong with age differences,” Touka started, handing Saiko back her phone, “But that guy? He’s just such an ass--.”

“Touka.”

That got her to shut up, and he glanced at his watch, “I have to go. Text me when you’re home, because Arima will forget to do it.”

“It’s because he’s old,” Saiko said.

“No, he’s always been that way.” Haise corrected her.

Before his children could say anything else, he left money on the table for Touka, and went to stand outside. Right on time, a black car pulled up, and Tsukiyama was smiling at him from the driver’s side.

“Hello, Sasaki-san, are you ready for our date?”

He glanced back at the restaurant and his children, before getting inside the car.

 

Sasaki Haise was absolutely beautiful and looked right at home in the private booth Tsukiyama had requested. He must have walked some distance before they had met up because he could smell the sweat on him. It all combined into a delicious smell that he didn’t think he would ever experience anywhere else. He wanted to spend forever just smelling Haise, but each time he had finally gotten him alone, there was always an interruption. Even now he had pulled out his phone at least four times since they’d been together.

He couldn’t help but remember the children who often accompanied him, and he almost broke the stem on his wineglass. One of them called him ‘Maman’, and the other did not, but Haise still referred to them as his children. They were at least ten. And Haise was twenty and it made no sense.

It angered him, and he wasn’t the most rational when he was angry.

He sipped the wine he had selected and reassured Haise that there was no such thing as under or overdressed. If you had money, then the dress requirements were what you made it. He had done research into Sasaki Haise and had been frustrated with how little there had been to find out. He had been homeschooled all of his life until he entered university and Sasaki Haise might not even be his real name. Investigations were still pending, but he wanted to find out all of Haise’s secrets from his own lips.

“Were your children terribly broken up about me stealing you for the evening?”

“They’re not used to me going on dates, is all. I haven’t since they’ve been around.”

“That’s surprising all things considered.”

“Please do tell me what things you are considering,” Haise sounded amused.

“Just how lovely you look in the candlelight,” And there was a slight blush on Haise’s face as he considered the tablecloth.

“Yeah, well, I can’t help but notice how they didn’t give us any menus.”

“Because when I placed the reservations, I had already ordered for the both of us. Remember my text asking if you had any allergies?”

“Oh, um, I didn’t think it was for this.”

“What else would it be for?” There was just a small hint of annoyance on Haise’s face before he sighed.

“Well, I’m sure you have good taste.”

 _Well_ , Shuu couldn’t help but think, _you’re not wrong about that_.

Dinner didn’t go as well as Shuu had hoped, but he could see the effects of the meal and the drugs even as Haise passed on dessert and they headed back to his car. Haise passed out in the middle of stating that he lived in the other direction.

 

Haise didn’t wake up to a fist to the stomach thanks to Saiko, but with a headache like he had been on a binge with Akira. His head was pounding, but he didn’t even need to open his eyes fully to realize he was not in his house. He gathered himself slowly.

 _I’m on a couch._ And then, _I was at dinner with Tsukiyama._

And from there, _That bastard must have drugged me._

He started to sit up, but then Tsukiyama was clicking his tongue and urging him back down on the couch.

“Really now, you shouldn’t be so hasty to move around. You had a little too much to drink, now just drink this, Sasaki-san.”

He stared at the cup of what he was sure not just water, and then at the hand on his shoulder. He didn’t accept the water, but he let himself be pushed back down on the couch. It didn’t sound like there was anyone else in the house/apartment/wherever the hell people took their drugged dates. So that meant he just had to deal with Tsukiyama. He closed his eyes, and then pulled him down on the couch on top of him. He ignored whatever Tsukiyama was saying and concentrated on not killing him. The tumble to the floor did make Tsukiyama’s arm give a slightly satisfying snap. And he wasn’t too gentle with his feet as he untangled himself from him, and sat back on the couch and rubbed his head.

“Okay. I wasn’t going to give you a second date after the whole ordering my food for me thing which just seemed wrong, but um, kidnapping? Possibly going to rape me? Yeah, no. You’re lucky I didn’t kill you.”

Tsukiyama wasn’t really listening, but Haise didn’t care. He picked himself up, and felt around for his phone. It wasn’t on him, and he sighed. He went looking for it, and found it hooked up to a computer and realized that this went a lot deeper than he realized as he saw that Tsukiyama had been in the middle of downloading all the information off of his phone, and apparently had been taking photos of him for what looked like a while. He really should just kill him. He wanted to kill him when he saw the photos of Tooru and Saiko and Arima and Akira.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Unfortunately for him, Tsukiyama was probably dead or hopefully just passed out from pain. He really didn’t know what to do, and really didn’t need to get anything on his record during the middle of the adoption process with Tooru. He stared at him for a long moment before calling for help.

 

The first thing Shuu saw when he woke up was Haise’s sleeping face. He thought for a moment that his plan had been successful, until he grew aware of the pain his body was in. He then remembered that his plan had failed and that he had lost Haise forever. Shuu touched the illusion in front of him and was surprised when it spoke.

“Keep your hands to yourself, pervert.”

The morning light was bright, and Haise was breathtakingly beautiful even looking completely pissed off. He wanted to kiss him even more.

“So, you’re a stalker.”

“I’m a collector,” he corrected him. “I collect beautiful things.”

“Does that mean I am going to find dead bodies in your house?”

“What? No. Typically when I ask someone for a date they don’t put me off for a month, and they--.”

“What part of me explaining that I am raising two children did you fail to understand?”

Shuu sighed and rested his hand on his chest. He couldn’t move his other one because the wonderful, beautiful man beside him had broken it. At least, he assumed that’s why it was in a cast. He wasn’t sure why his neck was or why breathing hurt.

“Well, my mistake for wanting to spend a few days in your company.”

“Do you typically drug all your dates in order to accomplish this?”

“No,” and he tried to figure out when he’d come to realize that he’d toss everything aside if it meant he could have Haise. That risking it all on a slim hope was worth it. “You were the first.”

“What on earth is wrong with you?”

“I honestly don’t know.” It was the same question his mother had asked him when he’d expressed interest in his undergrad major, but he didn’t think Haise meant it in the same way. "Why didn't you kill me?"

"I'm not going to do anything that's going to risk me losing Tooru or Saiko."

"Ah. Those brats mean that much to you?"

“Of course they do, they’re my kids. You have someone like that too, right?”

Shuu laughed, “Oh, Haise, my beautiful Haise. I have someone like that, and I wanted to keep him locked up in a beautiful cage, and he broke my arm.”

“Yeah, it’s the least you deserved.”

“I suppose that’s true. Well, now I have nothing to show for all my efforts.”

Silence fell in the room, and he just listened to Haise breathe, knowing that this would be the last he’d see of him.

“Why me?”

“I thought you were amazing from the moment I first smelled you, but today has only proven that you are even more wonderful than I thought.”

“There is a lot of things wrong with what you just said, Tsukiyama-san, that I’m not sure where to start.”

The door opened then and a nurse came in the room, “Oh, he’s awake, why didn’t you come and get us?”

“He’s only been awake a minute or two,” Haise lied, and then stood up, “I’ll be going then.”

“Wait, no, Haise, don’t--.”

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning say this for a while but I never gave you permission to call me by my first name.” To the nurse he said, “I’ll get out of your way now.”  

“He’s been here all night,” the nurse said, as if that mattered when Tsukiyama had not been awake all night, and had just had to watch the man he loved disappear forever. “And now that you’re awake, we’re going to do some more scans to make sure of what all is broken.”

“What did he say happen to me?”

“Well, I wasn’t here for that story, but I can see what your chart says later.”

She took his vitals, and then some people came to wheel him down to get x-rays and other scans.

When he got a chance to see his reflection, he was enchanted with the way Haise had so clearly left his mark on him. He wouldn’t be able to attend a photo session for a while, and he could see his manager getting annoyed at that, but Haise had touched him and left his mark on him, so how could he not be happy about that?

He was lost in a blissful daze when he was returned to his room and saw Haise back in his chair from that morning and wrapping up a phone call. He told the other person that he knew what he was doing, and then hung up.

“Am I dead?” Shuu asked the tech. The man gave him an odd look.

“They have him on a pretty high dosage of pain pills.” Haise said like that was an explanation.

He waited until the tech left and he had taken a few sips of his water before he asked Haise why he was still at the hospital.

“Because I need to see how injured you are.”

“Why?”

“I almost killed you, so I feel a bit responsible.”

“You feel responsible for me?”

“I feel a small amount of responsibility for almost breaking your neck.”

Well, Shuu wasn’t going to be the one to tell him that it wasn’t if that meant he would stick around for a bit longer.

“Are you going to press charges?” Shuu asked instead, “For the whole kidnapping thing.”

“It was more than just kidnapping. But, I, are you going to press charges?”

Shuu hadn’t even considered that. “I don’t want you to hate me, so no.”

“Tsukiyama-san, it’s far too late for you to be saying that.”

“You hate me?” Shuu couldn’t help the note of hope in his voice as he looked at Haise. Haise sighed and rubbed his face.

“Something is really wrong with you. I can’t leave you alone like this and then what will I do if you do something to my family and I could have prevented it?”

“You could file a restraining order,” Shuu suggested, “It would interesting to see how good of photos I could take--.” He paused, and then laughed, “Yeah, this medicine is really strong, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”

“But you were thinking it. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you yet, but I do know I’m never eating with you again.”

“Wait,” Shuu said, “Are you saying you’re going to continue to be with me?”

“‘Be with you’, I was never with you. We went on one date and you tried to kidnap me. No, I’m going to keep a general eye on you and make sure I keep my family safe.”

“So does that mean I can’t see you or that I will see you all the time or what does it mean, Haise?”

“I really don’t care what you do as long as you don’t hurt my family. See me whenever, don’t see me at all, doesn’t matter to me. If you harm my family, I will make sure you never see or hear from me again though.” As Shuu looked at him, he wasn’t sure if that was a threat against his life, Haise’s own, or something else he couldn’t understand in his drugged haze. He wondered if Haise was still under the effects of his drug. He smiled.

“I won’t harm your family as long as I get to stick by you.”

“No, you won’t harm them regardless.”

“That’s what I said.”

“You know it isn’t.”

  
Haise was leaving the hospital when he realized that he had basically given his stalker free reign to harass him. He figured that Tsukiyama Shuu would have to get bored when he realized that Haise was really nothing to get all obsessed over. He hoped that Tsukiyama would figure that out before too much time had passed.  


	4. Shirazu

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haise realizes what it truly means to become responsible for who you save.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Using Saiko's pop culture references, I'm able to say that this story takes place around 2005ish. I mean, it started in 2004 when Haise and Saiko first met but yeah. 
> 
> Saiko is the oldest born in 1995, and all the other children were born in 1994.

Tooru helped him wash the floors and the walls the day before someone from the state came to check on their living situation. Saiko sat on the couch and played video games while occasionally letting them know when they had missed a spot. He had given up on trying to make her help when she had almost killed them all with a dangerous chemical combination. He had also not made her share her room, and Akira had willingly given up hers to Tooru. Arima had looked concerned about that, and considered looking into houses instead of apartments, before disappearing on a case. Arima was due back later that night, but he hadn’t returned any of Haise’s texts yet. All the adults who lived in the house would need to be present, so he hoped Arima would make it back before the inspector showed up.

“Maman, can I get a PSP?”

He considered that as he wiped down the coffee table, “Move your feet and maybe.”

“Can Tooru get a DS?”

“I don’t want a DS,” Tooru wiped down the windows, and coughed at the lingering dust on the blinds. Haise really needed to stop being so busy so he could clean more.

“Saiko, why do you need a DS and a PSP?”

“There’s different games that get released on them, Maman! I need--.”

“You don’t need, you want.” He stood up, and couldn’t keep the firm tone up as she looked shocked and betrayed by it. He softened, and ran a hand through her hair before he stretched. “Alright, write out a list and rank them from what you need now and what you can wait for.”

Tooru sighed as Saiko pulled up a document making program and did just that.

“We can go to the bookstore later, Tooru,” he offered and then looked around, “I think next are the bedrooms. Saiko, did you pick up yours?”

“Um, yeah.” The list she was writing had nearly twenty items on it, and she had opened up an online catalogue to find more things. Honestly, what was he supposed to do with her?

 

Arima showed up, without any gifts and with his suit bloodied and torn, and his face slightly bruised. He greeted the children, and then disappeared into his bedroom.

“Holy fuck,” Saiko said, “Grandpa killed someone.”

“Please don’t swear, Saiko.” He hadn’t seen Arima this messed up in a long, long time, and wondered what had went wrong on his job. He began the dinner preparations to distract his kids. It didn’t quite work, but he left Tooru to watching over dinner and Saiko and knocked on Arima’s door.

When he got the okay, he saw that Arima had stitches on his left side and was reapplying bandages with his non-dominant hand.

“What happened, Dad?” He shut the door so that the curious children couldn’t overhear anything. Sometimes it was safer not to know even if it did concern someone you cared about.

“My contact sold us out,” Arima said, “I can’t tell you much else, but I won’t be around for a bit while we sort this out. I’m sorry, Haise.”

“You don’t need to apologize to me. Just do what you have to do to stay safe, Arima.”

“Don’t worry about me.” Arima finished taping up the bandages, an almost flawless job, and then sighed, “If you have a moment, I will need a hand getting a bag packed. I’ll try not to take too long with this, but I have no way of knowing what I’m going into. You know the number for the company.”

“Just text my phone if you can. I’ll call the company every so often, but don’t just . . .” Haise trailed off as he got one of Arima’s overnight bags, and started to pack it full of what he would need. He had done this before for Arima, but his dad had never come home so torn up before. He was the best at what he did.

But he supposed even the best could get taken down.

He zipped up Arima’s suitcase and Arima finished shrugging into fresh clothes. With each layer he added, it was impossible to tell that he had stitches in his side and bruises across his chest. The only weakness he showed was when he pulled a slung over his chest, to hold his right arm immobile. Even his face didn’t look as badly messed up after his shower.

“I hope I didn’t scare the children too badly.” Arima picked up his bag, and looked at the door.

“Saiko thinks you killed someone.”

“Hm.”

Haise didn’t ask if he had or hadn’t, but opened up the door and helped Arima to the front door.

“Oh, in my suit pocket, I brought them some candy from where I was at. I don’t know if it’s any good still, so I’ll bring some more when I return.” Arima stepped into his shoes. Haise doubted it was any good with the blood that Arima had been covered in. Some of it had to have been his own, but all of it couldn’t have been.

“Tooru, Saiko, Arima’s leaving!”

“Oh,” Tooru came first, spoon in hand, and black apron loose around him, “Be careful, Arima. Stay safe.”

“Grandpa, did you kil--.” Haise stopped her with a noise, and she sighed, “Can you bring me back a PS2?” She had moved on from portables and was on to consoles, he noted.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Arima said to both of them, “I might not be able to find a PS2 where I’m going, Saiko. And Tooru, you be careful too. Do I smell something burning?”

“The noodles!” Tooru hurried back to the kitchen and Arima laughed a bit.

“I’m off then. I’ll see everyone when I come back.” Arima left, and Haise felt a twisting up in his gut. He hoped that the situation would be fixed, and that Arima would be okay. He knew that Saiko also hoped so despite her morbid curiosity.

He took what remained of his family, and ordered a pizza when the noodles turned out to be completely ruined.

Akira told him after the inspector left that things looked like they had gone well. It was hard, she said, to be certain when things were like this. One of the strikes against them had been Arima’s disappearance. He knew how it must look, but Akira was firm when she stated that she helped out as well. When the inspector said it was nice that she still cared for the family even after the divorce, Akira had given a long-suffering sigh. When she found out what condition Arima had left in, she almost looked like she wanted to pray for peace.

Then, Tsukiyama had showed up.

Saiko hated him, Tooru was wary of him, and only he, Akira, and Arima knew the full story of what had gone on that night. Tsukiyama hadn’t brought food, since the last time he did Haise had thrown it away in front of him, but he’d brought computer games for Saiko, artbooks for Tooru, and an invitation for a night on a cruise for Haise.

“I don’t know what fantasy world you live in, but it’s almost winter and I’m not going anywhere with you.” Tsukiyama acted like he hadn’t tried to kidnap him months ago. Haise really thought he’d have taken a hint already and moved on.

“Ah, if not a cruise then how about to the theatre? There is a piece coming into town that I believe you’ll be interested in seeing.” Tsukiyama had made himself at home, leaning against his counter while Haise cooked dinner for his family. Akira was keeping an eye out, even if she did seem intensely focused on her laptop. Saiko was in her room trying out the new games. She hadn’t thanked Tsukiyama and Haise had almost corrected her manners before deciding it wasn’t worth it. Tooru had thanked him, and was sitting on the couch next to Akira, flipping through the glossy, full color pages.

“No.” Haise said, “Because then you’ll want to offer me dinner and--.”

“Non, it is a late show so that you would be able to eat dinner with the,” Tsukiyama paused, and smiled, “your children before hand.”

Haise sighed, and set his knife down, “I’ll think about it.”

Tsukiyama looked pleased, and Akira made a disapproving noise over on the couch, and at the end of the day, Haise couldn’t bear himself to care one way or the other about Tsukiyama. As long as he followed the rules, he guessed he could reward him on occasion.

Tooru had been asked to be the prince in his class’s play, but he didn’t want to be measured by his classmates and had asked Haise to make his outfit. Haise had agreed, even though he knew nothing about clothing. He asked Akira, who had looked at him and said that Arima might know better. But Arima had been missing for the last week and had been unreachable for the month proceeding that. The company Arima worked for wasn’t worried, since Arima had disappeared for months sometimes on more dangerous assignments. And this, they assured Haise, was a dangerous assignment. They kept depositing Arima’s monthly pay into his and Haise’s shared account under the assumption that he was alive.

Haise had his hands full of bags when his phone went off. He shifted them to one hand and answered it. The sun was setting, and children were playing in the play yard next to him when he heard Arima’s voice for the first time in almost two months.

“I can’t talk for long,” Arima said, “But this is just to let you know that I’m still alive.”

“Arima! Where are--no are you hurt--no, will you be home soon?”

“I believe so. Tell Saiko I’ll have to mail her PS2 to her.”

“She won’t care about that as long as you--.”

“I have to go.”

He stood there for a moment after the line went dead. He stared down at his call log, but it was too risky to call him back. It was too risky for him to even have the number. He deleted it, and picked up the bags he had dropped in his haste. It was then that a small boy landed in front of him.

Or rather he realized, as he stared down at the bloodied boy in shock before he threw himself up from the ground and charged back his attackers, he had walked into the middle of a fight. He turned around to see the boy who had been pushed towards him throwing himself at five other boys who weren’t as messed up as him, and were kicking him and punching him. He didn’t even stop to think before he stepped in. He didn’t try reasoning with the kids until they were all on the ground in more-or-less one piece.

“You really shouldn’t gang up and fight people,” he said. He didn’t say that they should pick on someone their own size, because that would be hypocritical considering his own actions. He turned to the boy he had saved, and winced in sympathy. “Let me take you to the hospital, you look really--.”

“No,” his lip was split open, and he had blood on his forehead. Haise wasn’t sure how he was still standing. “No hospital.”

Haise realized that Akira wasn’t going to be happy with him, and he realized how this would look to the inspector if she dropped in unannounced. But, he recognized the signs, he knew the look in the boy’s eyes. It was fear.

“I’m Sasaki. I can fix you up at my house, we have a lot of medical supplies.”

“Shirazu,” and there was blood in his mouth which he spat out on the ground.

He had to help Shirazu into the apartment, and he could hear Saiko in her room playing video games. Tooru was on the couch reading a book, and Akira was on her phone. Shirazu was more unconscious now than anything, so he just shook his head at Akira and carried him into the bathroom. Shirazu let him wash the blood off him, and let him bandage him up, but still said no to the hospital, even when Akira appeared, carrying Arima’s first aid kit.

“He’s going to need stitches.” Akira said as he tried to get Shirazu’s forehead to stop bleeding.

“I don’t know how to do that. Shirazu, we need to take you to the--.”

“I do.” Akira proved that she could as she did it in less than five minutes, cool and efficient as she liked to live her life, he imagined, outside of them. “Occupational hazard,” she said as she taped gauze over the neat lines, “of being friends with Arima for so long.”

Shirazu was barely conscious so Haise settled him in his room, and came out into the living room to hear Akira’s lecture. Tooru was peering at them from over his book, so he tried to keep his voice low.

“I suppose you don’t know where he lives either.”

“There wasn’t much time to ask with how much he was bleeding. Have the kids eaten dinner yet? Have you eaten yet, Tooru?”

“We ate leftovers, Sasaki,” Tooru set down the artbook on Henri Matisse and sat up, hesitating before asking who Shirazu was. So, Haise related the tale, keeping his voice down as he did so.

Akira sighed, “I’m glad you heard from your dad, but you seriously have no idea where Shirazu-san lives?”

“I’m sorry, Akira.”

He had to apologize to her again when he asked if she’d be available for the delivery of a bunkbed for Tooru’s room so that Shirazu could have a place to sleep. He had healed up slowly, and it had been by chance that Haise had seen older bruises on Shizaru. He wouldn’t force anyone to go back anywhere they weren’t safe.

He made Tooru’s costume, and he tried to find out where Shirazu went to school to no avail. He refused to tell them that, refused to tell them his full name even until they promised they would not force him to leave. Haise gave his word, but Akira would not, and weeks passed in standstill.

Tooru was the prince in a fairytale that his teacher had written just for his class. They all went, split up between Akira’s and Tsukiyama’s car. He rode with Tsukiyama as Saiko rode with Akira and Shirazu as well. There was so many flowers in the back seat of Tsukiyama’s car that he couldn’t stop looking at them in amusement.

“The flowers are all for Tooru then?”

“I couldn’t help but think that Mitsuki-san would like some recognition for his efforts. I purchased some for his teacher, and his classmates as well.”

“Ah.” And he didn’t say anything else, because he knew that the flowers weren’t really for Tooru as much as they were to impress him. He wanted to laugh, but resisted until they got to the parking lot, and he had to convince Shirazu to help him and Tsukiyama carry the bouquets into the school.

The school play was just what could be expected of third grade students. Shirazu didn’t seem nervous about being at the elementary, so Haise figured that this must not be his school. Tsukiyama presented Tooru with the flowers, and he handed the flowers to the teacher afterwards. Shirazu was nervous about handing them to the princess, but Saiko pushed him forward when she scored a goal on her game. This was his family, he couldn’t help but think, even if there was one unwelcome visitor, and his father was missing.

Arima showed up the next day, and he wasn’t bleeding or injured. He counted heads, and then frowned.

“I don’t have enough snacks, I wasn’t expecting there to be another child here,” he apologized to Shirazu.

Shirazu rubbed the back of his neck, “You didn’t need to buy me anything.”

Arima turned to Saiko, getting down to her level, “Saiko, is it okay if I give Shirazu-san your portions? Your PS2 should be here soon.”

“You brought me a PS2?” She pushed her gift bag into Shirazu’s chest and threw her hands up, “Hell yeah!!!”

“Saiko! Don’t swear!” Saiko ignored Haise and then went back into her room with a skip.

“Well, glad to know everything here hasn’t changed much,” Arima said. “Is Shirazu-san staying with us?”

Shirazu had started to look inside the black bag with interest, like Tooru was doing with his own, but now looked up and looked afraid. Haise just sighed.

“It’s all up to Shizaru, dad.”

Shizaru pulled out a videogame and stared at it, “There’s no GameCube here.”

“You didn’t,” Haise said as he looked at the game, “We’re never going to get her to go to class again, Arima.”

“It was on the list she texted me.” Arima settled down on the couch and looked around the house, “Where should we put all the systems? In her room?”

“They cannot all fit inside her room. Also, we would never see her again if we did that.”

“I want to play on them too and if they’re just in her room that’s not fair,” Shirazu said.

“Right? Tooru would like to play too--.”

“Sasaki, I really wouldn’t,” Tooru settled on the armchair and started reading the manga Arima had brought him. Haise sighed as Arima started asking Shizaru questions, that the boy was too flustered to lie about. He went back to the entryway and carried Arima’s bag into his room, glad that his family was home and united.

His family wasn’t united on all things. Shizaru finally came clean about where he lived, but refused to go back or contact his father. Akira looked into where he had gone to school, and then did for him what she had done for Haise so long ago. Shizaru started his online learning, and Saiko complained about that for a full week until Haise pointed out that she already lived most of her life online. He wasn’t even aware of everyone she talked with, but she shared so much with him that he was not afraid for her safety too much. Akira was worried, and expressed that with sighs, and questions that Saiko half-answered depending on her mood and progress in her games.

Their family cared about one another, and he appreciated that. He cared for them as well, and did everything he could to protect their happiness.

Tsukiyama bugged him into going to the performance and he enjoyed it, even if the company was questionable. He came home to find Akira and Arima drinking on the couch and almost all of the lights turned down low. It was a familiar scene from his youth.

Only now he could join them, instead of falling asleep to their voices.

Arima finished up relaying the details of his last case, despite Akira’s protests that she did not want to know.

“I think I need to look for a house,” Arima said before opening up a fresh can, “It seems like each time I return there’s another person living here.”

“Sorry, Dad.”

“It’s not bothering me but I do feel bad for Tooru having to share his room. If you bring anyone else in, they might end up sleeping in your room, Haise.”

“You’re right,” Akira said, “Even if it were a girl, Saiko wouldn’t share.”

“She’s not that mean,” Haise hurried to Saiko’s defense, “I’m sure she would.”

Akira stared at him for a long moment, “You don’t know your daugh--is that a hickey?”

“What? No?”

Akira stared at him, and he hoped that the moon would get covered by a cloud soon so the room would darken again.

“Arima, is that a hickey?” Akira asked as she set down her beer can and took her feet off the couch. Haise wondered if she would follow him if he went to his bedroom.

“I think so, Mado.”

“Haise, did Tsukiyama give you that hickey?” He wondered if she interrogated witnesses like this. Did she even deal with witnesses in her field?

“Um, why are you assuming it’s a hickey?”

“That is way too big to be a bug bite.”

He couldn’t help but touch the spot and frown. He hadn’t looked at himself yet, but he would have to have words with Tsukiyama if it was that large.

“Why are you assuming it came from Tsukiyama?” He asked next.

“Haise,” Arima said instead of Akira, “Did it?”

That wasn’t far because he didn’t know how to dodge a direct question from Arima and never really had. He just sighed and drank his beer.

“Are you sleeping with your stalker?” Akira finished off her beer and then opened another one. He could tell by the opened cans in front of her and Arima that they were just getting started. “Do you even know how dangerous that is?”

“Mom, I can take care of myself.”

“Until he slips something in your food again!”

“Mado,” Arima held a finger up to his lips, “You’ll wake up the children.”

Haise looked at the closed doors down the hallway and frowned, “I’m okay.”

“Just use protection,” Arima said, “Now, I think we need more bathrooms too, Mado, for the house.”

“How many bathrooms?” Haise asked, anything to distract Akira from pushing the Tsukiyama issue. He was handling it in his own way.

The next time Tsukiyama visited, Shizaru wouldn’t let him inside the apartment for ten minutes. Haise ignored it for the most part as he finished making the children their dinner. Arima sipped his tea and flipped through a case file as Tsukiyama protested loudly outside of the door. Tooru looked conflicted as he helped make the salads, and Saiko was sitting on the step next to Shizaru and laughing.

Arima eventually put an end to it when he got a phone call he couldn’t take inside the house. He let Tsukiyama in on his way out. Saiko booed and while Tsukiyama was greeting Haise and Tooru, Haise couldn’t help but notice Shirazu putting tacks inside his shoes. He made a note to take those out later. Bullying he’d tolerate, but he’d rather his children not become complete delinquents.

“I came with gifts, but now I think that I shall only let Tooru-san have his.” Tsukiyama said.

“I don’t want anything from you anyway,” Shirazu said as he took his seat at the table.

“Saiko, please put your DS down and come and eat.” Haise set all the food on the table and then started pouring water for them all. Saiko was slow walking, possibly in the middle of the endless levels of Mario.

“You’re not eating with us, Sassan?” Shirazu asked after counting the plates on the table. Shirazu didn’t ask why Tsukiyama wasn’t eating, but Haise’s answer was completely tied up with the fact that Tsukiyama was there.

“I have to talk with Tsukiyama-san for a bit, but I’ll join you later for dessert.” He pulled out Saiko’s chair for her, and neatly set her DS on the kitchen counter. She looked scandalized.

“Maman!”

“I will only be borrowing your father for a few minutes, I promise,” Tsukiyama bowed, and the kids gave him varying looks of distrust.

“Tooru, don’t let Saiko have the game back until she helps you wash up some of the dishes,” he gave that order to the youngest and lead Tsukiyama outside of the apartment. Shirazu’s handwritten sign was still on the door so he pulled off the _No Tsukyam’s ALLOWED_ and was glad that the hole the tack made wasn’t too big.

“I do not understand why your children hate me so.” Tsukiyama sighed dramatically and leaned against the railing. Haise joined him and could see Arima on the ground below, pacing and speaking softly on the phone.

“Children are smarter than you think, Tsukiyama-san. They can sense that you’re not being genuine with them.”

“I am being genuine, Haise! How could you even doubt that--.”

“I never gave you permission to use my first name.”

“After everything that we’ve done you still say that?” Tsukiyama was leaning in close to him, and Haise was debating tossing him off the balcony (he was sure he’d survive, there was a hedge right _there_ ) when Saiko screamed from inside the house. He left Tsukiyama in his ridiculous pose, and once inside stopped and sighed. Tooru had not been enough to keep her from her game, and Shirazu had gotten involved and dessert was on the ground.

Arima was still serious about getting an actual house, despite the fact that this apartment had seen Haise grow into the man he was. Haise didn’t have time to look for one, and Tsukiyama offered to help, but he wasn’t accepting anything like that from him, and so due to Arima’s unavailability, Akira ended up looking for their new house.

The demands each member of their household put forward were ridiculous. Saiko wanted a room just for her games, Tooru wanted a library, Shirazu wanted a wide backyard. Tsukiyama suggested that Haise’s room have large mirrors, but Haise slapped a hand over his mouth before he could even continue with why Haise should have that. Arima’s only request was for a larger office.

“And what do you want in the house, mom?” Haise asked her once before she started the search.

“All I want is a bedroom to sleep in sometimes. I’m not giving up my apartment.” What Akira meant, he knew was that she needed time away from the life that they had chosen to share with each other. She might support them in all that they did, but they were not her world.

All the talk of home and moving got Shirazu to thinking. And one night after dinner when Arima was playing Kingdom Hearts II while Saiko directed him on how to properly use drive during missions, he approached Haise.

They still had leftover cake from Arima’s birthday celebration, and Haise was dividing up the rest of it for dessert that night.

“Sassan.” Shirazu started, and then it took a while but eventually Haise understood his request. He took off his apron, and agreed to go with Shirazu to the apartment he had abandoned months ago in order to get his important belongings. They left their warm home, bundled up for the weather and took a cab. Haise told the driver to wait and stepped outside and watched Shirazu stare up at his house.

“I can come back home with you, right?”

“Everyone’s waiting for us, Shirazu. I won’t leave you here.”

The apartment complex didn’t seem as well kept as Haise’s own. Some of the stairs were cracked, and several of the doors they passed didn’t fit right anymore, and far too windows had been boarded up for his taste. The elevator wasn’t working, so they climbed up cracked steps, and passed by rooms where there was screaming, and strange odors that lingered on in the hall. He stepped over a ripped _CAUTION_ sign, the yellow and black stark against the unwashed hallway floor. They came to a stop in front of room seventy-four, and Shirazu felt around for a key inside of a dead plant.

“Can you wait outside, Sassan?”

“I can go inside with you, Shirazu,” he wasn’t sure he wanted to let him go inside alone. Shirazu put the key in the lock and shook his head. His hand was shaking.

“I don’t want you to see this.”

So, Haise respected his wishes, and stood outside the apartment. He waited for any sounds of distress, because he would not hesitate in that case, but there was none. The minutes passed and he got a text from Tsukiyama which he ignored. Snow started falling, and Shirazu came back outside with what had to have been his backpack when he had done things like go to school.

What was inside the bag was a photo of his mother and him before she had left, an earring of hers, and all of Shizaru’s official documentation. His father, according to Shizaru, had been passed out on the couch, so stealing all of his stuff had been easy.

“You never have to go back there,” Haise said, unable to stop seeing the way he had been shaking when he’d left. Shirazu pressed against him for a moment, and then pulled away when Haise’s phone vibrated against his arm. It was Tsukiyama again, so he ignored it.

“Was it Arima or Saiko?”

“No,” he smiled at him, “But I’m sure they’re ready for us to be home too.”    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haise and Shuu do not have a relationship. They just sleep together sometimes. Because Haise is nice like that, and sometimes you have to reward people for not killing your children. Also, Shirazu totally overheard that convo about Tsukiyama if that wasn't obvious. 
> 
> Moving on. 
> 
> Saiko is so important to me, also Tooru. 
> 
> Arima is such a nice fucking guy, I mean that from the depths of my heart.


	5. Urie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Urie wasn’t expecting to end up like this, but he finds that there’s worse things than this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Strictly in Urie's point of view.

Urie ran into Shirazu first in the literal sense of Shirazu spilled his cream soda down the front of Urie’s shirt outside of a fast food restaurant. They were both ten, but Shirazu was just a bit taller.  

“This shirt counts more than your life,” he said in disgust.

“Dude, I can get you a nicer shirt.” And then Shirazu dragged him to a store, and argued with the clerks, and then had to call his younger brother for help. His younger brother, Tooru, sweet talked the clerks, and Urie left the store with a new shirt, but not feeling any less sticky. He was about to part ways with the two boys when they got a phone call from someone named Sasaki. Tooru hung up the phone in a panic.

“We have to find Saiko!” Tooru said, “I was with her before I had to come and help you and she’s not answering her phone and she’s not at the fountain where I left her!”

“Well, I had to help him,” Shirazu said. Urie scoffed, because it all started from the idiot not fucking watching where he was walking and spilling soda all over expensive clothing. “Now you gotta help us find our sister.”

“I don’t have to help you do anything,” he corrected him, but then somehow found himself calling out Saiko! in the middle of the street at six o’clock on a Thursday. It took them twenty minutes, but they found her in an alley playing card games against teenagers. She was eleven and older than him, but she looked younger. She tilted her head up at them, and pocketed her winnings.

“What? Did Maman call already?” She had a sucker in her mouth but he wanted to know why he had seen so much cash disappearing into her pocket. He was pretty sure those were pokemon cards.

“Yeah, he says he wants us home by seven and it’s already going to take us twenty minutes to get back if we walk.” Shirazu said, pulling her out of the alley, as Tooru pushed him.

He was trying to figure out why Maman was referred to as ‘he’ when that was French for ‘Mama’ if he was recalling his trip to France correctly. He was trying to figure out why they were calling a man ‘Maman’ or at least why the short girl they called sister was--even though none of them even looked like they could possibly be related--when Shirazu’s phone rang this time.

“Hey, Sassan, no I want yellow walls, Tooru wants green walls, and I think Saiko wants like dragons scales or some shit. Ops, sorry, Sassan.”

“Sasaki doesn’t like cursing,” Tooru explained.

“Maman’s always yelling about it,” Saiko said.

“Who’s Maman?” Urie asked as Shirazu flagged down a cab.

“Oh, Sasaki,” Saiko said, “But he’s my Maman.”

“What.”

“Oh, are you coming to dinner with us, Urie?” Tooru said.

“No,” he said.

“Sure,” Shizaru said, “Why not?”

 

He honestly didn’t know why he got into the car, and what half of the things they talked about were. He also didn’t want to be squeezed between Tooru and Saiko because Saiko laughed obnoxiously and Tooru spoke too softly. He was annoyed as he was led up steps and told to take off his shoes by Saiko as she just pulled hers off and tossed them down. Tooru sighed and aligned them for her.

“Oh,” a white haired man wearing an apron said, “You brought home a friend? I’m Sasaki Haise, please come inside.”

“I’m already inside,” he grumbled, but stepped inside the apartment properly. Another white haired man was sitting on the couch with his fingers to his chin.

“Grandpa!” Saiko waved and blew a kiss in the air, “What did you bring me?”

“Oh,” the man said, and he was looking directly at Urie and it was creeping him out, “I didn’t realize there was another child.”

“No, Arima, this is um, this is one of the kid’s friends.”

“Ah,” Arima said, and then nodded at the coffee table in front of him, “I went to Kyoto. I brought back the usual, everyone’s bags has their name on it.”

Urie was seriously considering leaving as the other kids went and picked up small black gift bags and started oohing and ahhing over their insides.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” Sasaki Haise said, bending down to his level. Urie was ten, he didn’t need someone trying to talk down to him.

“Urie Kuki,” he said and waited for him to be impressed with his last name. Sasaki just nodded, and held out a hand to him which he reluctantly shook.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Urie-san.”

 

Coming back home to his manor after the chaos of the Sasaki household made Urie realize how quiet it truly was. He hated it. As he was coming in, his mother was on her way out. She barely said goodnight to him, before she swept out of the house, all dolled up, leaving only the faint smell of her lilac perfume. His maid helped him take a bath and get ready for the night. He had a test in math, so he spent forty minutes reviewing the concepts before he went to bed.

The next day, Urie got the test scores back for his English test from last week, and was pissed when he saw his teacher had taken off half a point for a spelling error. He tried to get her to change it, but she refused and so he went home with his almost perfect paper and buried it inside his desk. He checked the printed agendas that his parents had provided him, and saw that both of them weren’t home that day anyway. He studied until he couldn’t see straight, and his maid--new so he didn’t need to learn her name yet--suggested he take a break and go outside.

He went out, and by chance ended up in the shopping district he’d ran into the weird non-related siblings from before. He settled on the fountain with a soda, not good exactly in the autumn breeze, but getting there.

“Oh, Urie-san,” Sasaki Haise and Tooru stopped in front of him. Their arms were full of groceries. “Do you live around here?”

He nodded vaguely. Sasaki smiled at him.

“Would you like to eat dinner with us?”

“Sasaki is making fried chicken,” Tooru said. He shifted his bags from one arm to another, and Sasaki reached out to steady him. They were really carrying far too much, Urie realized. Next he knew he had helped them to their apartment, and somehow had ended up wearing a pink apron and shredding lettuce for salad. He had never cooked in his life, his family employed people to do that for them. He started to say that, but then Sasaki told him that he had done a good job, and they all settled down to eat.

 

It started to become an odd routine that he started spending more and more of his evenings at Sasaki’s house, and returning to his empty house late in the evening. He slipped and brought some of his english homework one day, and both Saiko and Tooru corrected him on it. Tooru was nine and he was offended. Saiko was lazy and only played video games, every single day, and he was pissed. Shirazu was also irritating, and he wanted to punch him. He didn’t like Sasaki either, it just seemed like he was hiding something. Arima was only there some of the times he went over, and Tooru explained that he was something like a spy before Shirazu said he was more like a dying samurai warrior.

He met Akira during his first month, and she looked at Sasaki, and said, “You didn’t.”

“He’s really just a friend of the kids,” Sasaki said.

He found out by chance that Sasaki was graduating university in the spring, but no matter how he did the math, he was unable to figure out how a twenty-one-year-old could have two ten-year-old sons (since Tooru’s birthday was fast approaching) or an eleven-year-old daughter. Saiko had huffed, and said that Sasaki had decided to care for her. Tooru said that Sasaki was adopting him, and Shirazu said that Sasaki had said he didn’t have to leave.

All Sasaki told him was that he could have dinner with them whenever he wanted.

 

He met Tsukiyama Shuu in that first month as well. He couldn’t help but see him and wonder what about this family attracted them to it. Shirazu and Saiko took him aside and offered him membership into the _Defeat Tsukiyama_ club. Tooru had declined membership, Akira quietly supported them, and Arima just laughed. Saiko and Shirazu didn’t realize, but a good majority of their tricks were only allowed to go so far before Haise interrupted them. He never stopped them entirely, just kept things on the safe side.

“And why do we have to defeat Tsukiyama?”

“He’s trying to take Sassan away.”

“Aren’t they going out?” Which was weird in its own way, but Tsukiyama Shuu was not a normal person from his experience, and he didn’t think that a twenty-one-year-old who let an eleven-year-old call him Mama in French would ever count as normal.

“Don’t be gross Urie,” Saiko said, “Haise hates him.”

“Because he’s a stalker,” Shirazu said, “So he’s going to try and take Sassan away from us.”

Urie wasn’t sure if he believed that entirely, but he didn’t stop their plans. He didn’t accept or decline membership either. Sometimes it was best just to wait things out.

 

“I haven’t seen you recently, Kuki,” his mother was making her end of the year visit with him, where she penciled aside an hour of her day to talk with him exclusively. He wasn’t sure why this was no longer enough for him. When had he started to want more than typed out agendas delivered to him in folders, messages passed on through servants, and the artificial politeness that surrounded his family?

He did not tell her that she hadn’t been home at all long enough to miss him, and that she was only commenting on his absence because it had been reported to her through his maid.

When he didn’t respond, she continued, praising his grades, and stressing that she expected better if he were to get into a good junior high. He hadn’t made anything below a ninety-five, but anything less than perfect was not good enough. As usual, his father was too caught up with the concerns of the Diet to come and give any show of support to his only son. Urie understood, and yet, he couldn’t help but remember how different things were at Sasaki’s house.

 

The Sasaki household was talking about moving, and soon boxes started appear in the house during his third month there. He felt fear as things that he had started to get attached to were packed away, and he realized he would never see these people again.

And then, Mado Akira--Akira to most of the people who lived in the house, and Mado to Arima--sat next to him and showed him a map of their new house.

“I think you’ll like this room,” she said and showed him the layout of the room. He allowed himself to be caught up in their delusion, knowing that she was just trying to be nice and include him in that evening activities. As he packed up to go home, and the rest of the kids headed off to bed, Sasaki walked with him outside to his waiting car.

“I know you have a family all of your own,” Sasaki said, “But I know that sometimes we need breaks from our families. Akira has a room with us but she still is going to keep her apartment. So, Urie,” Sasaki handed him a folder, “If you want it, you can have that room. Akira really did think that you would like it.”

He took the folder, and wasn’t sure what to say, besides a muffled word of thanks. Sasaki smiled, and waved him off.

“We’re moving next Saturday!” Sasaki called out before he pulled away.

He opened the folder to see color swatches and a key. And he realized that he had never wanted anything more than to join them at their house. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite thing is Arima just accepting that Haise is going to adopt children, and Akira just going "not again."


	6. Akira

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What truly makes up a home?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akira's point of view.

Akira didn't know how best to explain where she had went wrong in life. She wasn't yet past her mid-forties yet had several children who called her grandma. She didn't mind what other people thought of her family just as long as their thoughts didn't turn into accusations that might result in legal action.

She was a family lawyer, but for rich families and rich clientele who wanted families. Her father had been a cop in the daytime, and possible mad scientist at night. Due to his inclinations and just how overall weird he was, she didn't formally introduce him to Haise until he had been 18. She also made sure that Haise was up to date on fighting techniques because it was what was expected of her family. Better to be over prepared than to risk getting kicked in the face by a man with a large bald spot above his right ear.

Her father accepted Haise once he realized that Haise was all the children she would ever present to him.

And then, Haise started bringing home children and it was a repeat of the first day she had met Haise all over again. Unlike Haise, these children had a story. Their lives didn't start on the day they had been discovered and thus it was slightly more easier to steal them away. There was no better phrase for what Haise was doing and what she was helping him to do. Haise could not look at a child in pain and walk away, just as Arima had been unable to abandon him. At least he wasn't as bad as Arima had been. He actively encouraged them to seek lives outside of the house, knowing from his own childhood, she figured, that children needed room to grow. She understood that as she watched him.

She didn't approve of his methods, especially how permissive he was with Saiko, but she supposed different methods had to be used on children who had suffered as much as they had.

 

She didn't approve of a lot of what Haise did, but she understood most of his actions. Notably, she full out did not approve of his relationship with Tsukiyama. Haise denied that they were in one, but she had not raised him to indulge in casual affairs. Arima supported him no matter what, and didn't seem to mind Tsukiyama. He liked how much Tsukiyama's affection for Haise was so easily expressed. Despite her protests, he shared far too much of their child with Tsukiyama and she could see the man's obsession grow. Arima didn't seem to care, knowing that Haise could take care of himself and happy to have someone to reflect on Haise's youth with.

 

Arima also didn't seem to mind overly much if he returned to a household that had expanded by one while he had been gone. The only thing he had to say when Tooru came and her room disappeared was that they should look for someplace bigger. By the time Shirazu appeared and there was a bunk bed in Tooru's room, she agreed reluctantly, muttering all the while about the bad habits of the Sasaki-Arima men. She held a dim hope that none of the children Haise had taken under his protection would follow in their footsteps.

So between trying to finalize Tooru's adoption, keeping track of Shirazu's online courses and trying to convince Saiko that Internet safety rules existed for a reason, Akira looked for a house. Everyone had specific and vague requests. Even Tsukiyama had an opinion on the matter after he suggested that Haise come live with him.

She found houses that didn’t feel like a  home, and she kept looking, bringing home pictures and floor plans that Haise would be generous and say “Maybe" to while Arima would show the children and they would all say, “No.” She really didn’t know why she expected anything more. With her income price wasn’t a concern, and with Arima’s it wasn’t either, and if they combined incomes it just became a waiting game for the right home for all of them.

 

One day she came to the house to find Urie Kuki, the son of a very famous politician, washing dishes while Saiko dried them underneath Haise’s supervision.

She didn’t know how she would be able to save Haise if the man’s father decided to press charges against his son being kidnapped.

Haise claimed he was just a friend of the kid’s but the thing was that the children didn’t make friends so easily. And Urie fit in so well that she realized that they might not have just been waiting on a house.

The next house she showed them was worth more than anything else she’d brought home yet. It had almost everything that everyone had requested, save the wall of mirrors in Haise’s room. It was approved by all, and she made up folders with floor plans for each person’s rooms and included colors that they might like to paint their rooms. She didn’t give Urie’s his, but let Haise handle it.

 

Moving day came the weekend before Golden Week. It was chaotic, and loud, and noisy, and she was just happy that in a few hours it would all be over with. Saiko got one of the larger bedrooms, and Tooru got a room filled with bookshelves. Haise got his own study, and Arima’s was connected to his bedroom. Her room was near the back of the house, and Urie’s was near the front. They had a lot to unpack and a lot to do, but by the time seven o’clock rolled around everyone was exhausted. Arima ordered pizza, and Haise told Urie he could spend the night.

“You look tired, Akira,” Tooru said as she sipped her beer. She sighed.

“Well, we did just move. I’m alright. How do you like your room?”

“I love it, thanks Akira.”

She shrugged and then smiled, “It’s the least I could do.”

 

Setting up the house didn’t take too long in the end. Everyone seemed happy and everyone had their own space. Caring about other people didn’t mean that one had to spend each and every moment with them and she was glad her family realized that. She didn’t spend all her time with them, busy with her life outside of them, but she spent enough so that they knew her and she knew them.

She had gone wrong somewhere to have ended up with an adopted son and three--possibly four--grandchildren, but she didn’t regret it. Home wasn’t where she went to sleep each night, but rather where she felt loved the most. Her home was as much with her father, as it was with Haise and his children. It had taken her a while, but she felt like she was home now, and knew that they were home as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this is most but not all of their backstory.


End file.
